Abatement of NO sub(3)-N Concentration in Agricultural Waters by Narrow Buffer Strips

Experiments enacted at a site on the low plains of the Veneto Region, Italy, were intended to provide insights into the performance of narrow buffer strips for the abatement of NO sub(3)-N concentrations in waters derived from croplands. The buffer strips evaluated in the project were comprised of a 5-m wide grass strip and a 1-m wide row of trees. Nearby fields were cultivated with maize and wheat. Data are reported from tests enacted under four different monitoring conditions based on two levels of crop N fertilization and two sizes of buffer trees. Findings indicated that the narrow buffer provided very effective abatement of NO sub(3)-N concentrations, providing discharge concentrations of less than 2 ppm. Abatement performance remained high during winter.